NHRA

Dave Connolly returns with sponsor

Charter Communications Teams with Dave Connolly, Cagnazzi Racing in NHRA Pro Stock Competition MOORESVILLE, N.C., April 24, 2008 -- Dave Connolly is returning to NHRA Pro Stock racing this weekend and he's bringing major sponsorship from ...

Edited: Apr 26, 2008, 2:46 AM

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Charter Communications  Teams with Dave Connolly,
Cagnazzi Racing in NHRA Pro Stock  Competition

MOORESVILLE, N.C., April 24, 2008 -- Dave Connolly is returning to NHRA Pro Stock racing this weekend and he's bringing major sponsorship from Charter Communications with him.

Todd Stewart, Charter Communication, Inc. Corporate VP of National Ad Sales & Development, and Victor Cagnazzi, Connolly's team owner, jointly announced the multi-year partnership Thursday, one day before the beginning of the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, April 25-27, at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga.

"We are very impressed with the drag racing credentials of Dave, Victor and the Cagnazzi Racing team," Stewart said. "They are winners, and we are proud to be associated with them. We feel this is an excellent relationship for both companies."

The Cagnazzi business  team was diligently pursuing a primary sponsor
relationship when Connolly was  suddenly sidelined without funding in January.  The
talented driver won  eight races -- including a record-equaling five in a row
last season -- but was  absent at the first five races this year.

"Obviously, we are extremely happy to welcome Charter Communications to our team," Cagnazzi said. "We feel blessed to be the team that carries Charter' s colors into NHRA and the POWERade Series, and we are thrilled that we are able to get Dave back on the track and into the Countdown to the Championship race."

Connolly is downright ecstatic about getting behind the wheel of the Charter Communications Chevy Cobalt.

"I am thrilled to be back and I hope to be racing with Charter on the side of our car for many years to come," said Connolly, 25. "They are a good company and we are going to do everything we can to put the Charter Chevy Cobalt in the winner's circle."

Charter Communications, Inc., a broadband communications company, provides a full range of advanced broadband services to the home, including cable television on an advanced digital video programming platform via Charter Digital(tm) and Charter High-Speed Internet Service(tm). Charter also provides business to business video, data and Internet protocol (IP) solutions through its Commercial Services Division. Advertising sales and production services are sold under the Charter Media0x00ae brand. More information about Charter can be found at www.charter.com.

Although sidelined for five races, Connolly's  focus is on earning enough
points in the next 13 races to reach the top 10 and  qualify for the Countdown to
the Championship during the season's final six  events.

"I have a lot of hope that we can go out and get into the top 10," he said. "I think if any team can come back after missing five races and qualify for the final part of the Countdown, it's this team. We're going to be giving it our best shot.

"Hopefully, we can put  on a good show in our first outing with a brand new
car.  It's the same old  driver, the same old crew chief (Tommy Utt) and crew,
but we have a new sponsor  and new Chevy Cobalt."

The Charter crew made test runs  earlier this week at Farmington and
Rockingham, N.C. tracks, and Connolly was  impressed by the results.

"We went to Farmington Sunday and made a  couple of shakedown passes and
everything went extremely well," he said.   "It goes to show you the great detail
work the guys do at the shop. Everything  was the same from our old car to
new one.  We went testing with the same  combination we had last year and
dropped the clutch four times at Farmington in  a green car, on green track and went
down the track on every  pass.

"And then we went to Rockingham and tested Monday.  When  we didn't get in
any runs on Tuesday, thanks to Mother Nature, we decided to  stay over and make
a few more runs on Wednesday," Connolly continued.   "We'd only gone the
full quarter-mile twice before Wednesday so we decided to  stick around. We put
our race motor in and I feel like now we are well prepared  for Atlanta."

Connolly kept his starting-line reflexes sharpened by  driving in Sportsman
races.  "I feel comfortable.  It's been a while,  and it made me a lot
hungrier.  I'm ready to get out and get at  it."

He won't have to wait long. The first Pro Stock qualifying session at Atlanta Dragway is Friday at 2 p.m.

-credit: cr

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